


Gilded Age

by hellevator_mp3, sibs288



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: M/M, and also kings woojin and chan, mostly because i wanted to write prince felix and hyunjin dfgfion, so uh yeah, this is pretty much a sk royalty au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-11-05
Packaged: 2019-07-05 07:46:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15859302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellevator_mp3/pseuds/hellevator_mp3, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sibs288/pseuds/sibs288
Summary: Nine districts. Nine leaders. Nine men and women each leading their own populations in hopes of leading them to a better future. However, for some, the future may not be as bright as it seems, due to unforeseen circumstances. Oh, and all the leaders are gay.





	1. i'll protect you (even if it costs my life)

**Author's Note:**

> Changbin always believed that he was always going to be the head knight to the prince, or rather, the soon to be king; nothing more, nothing less. All it took was a bed and a bargain for both him and the freckled prince, Felix, to realize that fate had an odd way of working things out.

Changbin watched with weary eyes as his charge paced back and forth in front of the large window that took up half of the wall, occasionally stopping to peer out and look for the telltale signs of a carriage making it’s way up the drive, shadows cast by the trees shifting in the early evening light. “Maybe you should take a seat, Felix.” He murmured, the use of informal speech pulling the younger boy from his thoughts. 

With a gusty sigh, Felix threw himself in the plush armchair situated directly across from the door, watching as Changbin got up and took his place by the door, his tunic rustling slightly underneath his leather vest as he leaned on the wall and tucked his hands into his pockets, eying Felix with slight interest all the while. The younger of the two was dressed in a deep red tunic, decorated with a thread that shimmered like gold and made it’s way across his clothing in an ornate design, connecting fluidly with his district crest that adorned his left breast. Stockings made of a matching color sat low on his hips, leaving a sliver of skin to be shown between it and his tunic when he readjusted his position in the chair, before the offending piece of clothing was tugged back into place and Felix looked up to meet Changbin’s wandering eyes. 

“I just don’t understand why it is that I’m being forced into this. Chanhee has been sending letters upon letters in an attempt to court me, no matter how many times I tell him that I’m not looking to get married so early.” Felix’s words came out whiny, causing Changbin to let out a chuckle at the younger. “Not to mention, neither of my parents will hear a bad word about him. They don’t care that their only son is being forced into a marriage, they just care about having the districts united, since Chanhee rules district 4.” The boy pouted, only serving to pull more laughter from Changbin. 

All it took was a few long strides before Changbin sunk to his knees in front of the other boy, holding smaller hands in his own and looking up at the blond in front of him. "And what if there was someone else courting you? Somebody that you would actually accept?“ He replied, a mischevious twinkle in his eye and a sly smile on his lips. Felix stared at him for a moment in confusion, before his eyes widened and he let out a small gasp. 

"Wait - so you’re saying -” He started, stopped, and started again, seemingly unable to form a coherent thought. “You’d court me?” Color flooded both of their cheeks at the thought, although Felix’s was more from knowing that he may be able to escape marrying Chanhee, and Changbin’s…came from knowing that he was completely, utterly in love with the man that he was serving. 

Changbin nodded in confirmation, and was about to speak his mind when the telltale noise of a carriage pulling up the drive was heard, and the two sprung to their feet, Felix rushing to the window to peer out in time to see the horses pulling a wooden carriage being urged to stop, before a figure stepped off the front seat and made it’s way to the side to open the door. A new figure emerged from the interior, the royal green of his outfit a stark contrast to the grey rocks that he had stepped out onto. One of the butlers - who Changbin quickly realized was the head butler - made his way out to greet their guests and presumably lead them to the parlor, where Felix and Changbin were currently waiting. They shot each other a slightly panicked glance, before hurrying back to their spots and waiting in silent anticipation. Just before the door swung open, Felix caught Changbin’s eye and mouthed ‘yes’, causing the elder’s cheeks to burn. 

Prince Chanhee was definitely a man of royal descent, Changbin thought to himself as the other stepped into the room, meeting Felix halfway as the other stood up to greet him. The two settled into chairs across from each other, and Changbin watched with bated breath as they talked about the affairs happening in their respective Districts, before Felix met his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. "I would like to decline your requests for courtship, as I am already being courted by someone else.“ He managed to force out, the words curt and sharp. Changbin watched Chanhee’s face morph from something beautiful into a rage, and saw Chanhee’s intentions before they ever happened. In what seemed like mere seconds, he had thrown himself in between the two, just as Chanhee was lunging across the table at Felix. 

It seemed as though Changbin blacked out for a few moments. When he came to his senses, Chanhee was laying on the ground, holding a hand to his bleeding nose and calling for his butler. A man entered the room, helped his master up before leading him out of the room and apologizing for the trouble that he had caused. Changbin watched until the two were out of sight down the hallway, before turning back to Felix and checking over him for any injuries. He was relieved to find none on his young master, but still led him out of the room and to the Keep, just past the knight and servants respective rooms, and past a heavy wooden door to the king’s quarters, settling him on the edge of the bed before digging through the wardrobe to find more 'casual’ clothes to change him into, knowing that the fancy tunic that currently adorned him was more than likely beginning to get hot and become itchy. 

Changbin guided Felix out of his clothes and then got to work on replacing them. He kneeled at his master’s feet to pull his socks up, before helping him into a fresh pair of stockings. Standing up, he towered slightly over Felix as he grabbed a plain white tunic that contrasted sharply with the black stockings, which he pulled over Felix’s head before working on the ornate buttons that decorated the fabric beginning at the midriff. Felix, during this entire procedure, just stared blankly at Changbin, until he was finally shaken from his thoughts as Changbin got closer than he needed to because he had noticed the slight blush adorning the younger boys cheeks. Changbin laid a gentle hand on his forehead, moving it to his cheeks as well to check for a fever. Just when he was about to withdraw his hand, Felix’s smaller on settled over it and the younger closed his eyes with a sigh, leaning into the elders cool touch. Changbin couldn’t stop himself as he admired the boy in front of him. He realized with a start that he was close enough to count the freckles spattered across Felix’s cheeks, the way the edges of his eyes curved, along with the arch of his cupid’s bow and the way he was pouting, big brown eyes looking back at him curiously. 

"You know, normally people don’t start off courting like this.” He teased lightly, a bright smile breaking across his face. Changbin couldn’t even find it in himself to back away, instead continuing to look at Felix like he was a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. It seemed natural enough to lean forward and press a small kiss to the tip of Felix’s nose, before backing away with what was left of his self-control. A bright blush adorned both of their cheeks, and Felix caught a hold of his sleeve before he could back away too far, dragging Changbin closer once again and down to his level, before returning the kiss, but this time on his cheek. Changbin couldn’t stop the smile that adorned his lips afterward, finding himself thinking about the encounter for the next few hours and well into the night, as he was preparing for sleep. He had shed the heavy vest along with his stockings, and found himself laying in the knights quarters with the images of a freckled prince never leaving his mind as he slipped into a light slumber.  
\--  
He woke with a start just a few moments later, or so it seemed, to the bell ringing just next to his ear. As Felix’s head knight, one of his duties was to see to the prince when he called, even if it was in the middle of the night, and no matter if it was because he was in danger or he just wanted some water but didn’t feel like getting out of his soft bed to fetch it for himself. 

However, Changbin realized as he jogged into his master’s room, this wasn’t either of those two examples, but a rather rare one. Felix was sitting up, back resting firmly against the pillows, face turned towards the windows with his eyes closed and the moonlight streaming in, turning his face a pale shade of silver that enchanted Changbin - and not for the first time. It wasn’t until the door slammed lightly that Felix’s eyes snapped open and he turned to face Changbin, his face flooding with a thousand questions that faded away with every second that passed as he realized who it was standing in front of his door. They had a silent stare off for a brief moment before Felix gestured for the elder to make his way to the bed, which he did with no hesitation. Before Changbin could even throw out the question that sat on the edge of his tongue, Felix scooted over to make room and let out a small 'stay with me’, his eyes pleading with Changbin to join him underneath the covers and hold him until everything righted itself. Changbin lets a joking sigh of resignation slip from his lips that sounded vaguely like a 'fine’, before sliding underneath the covers with Felix, allowing the younger to slip underneath his arm and resting his head on Changbin’s chest. The elder guided them down so they were laying down, and waited for Felix to readjust so he was comfortable, shifting his head slightly and throwing a leg over Changbin’s knees.

Changbin couldn’t help but laugh at the other’s clinginess, drawing the younger closer and holding him in place with a firm grip on his shoulder with one hand, while the other drew idle shapes onto the boys skin, letters turning into words and words into poetry and poetry into confessions of love that could, or rather would, never be heard. Felix hummed in content, burrowing his cheek further into Changbin’s chest as he pulled himself ever closer, nearly laying on top of his guardian. Neither of them paid it any mind, Changbin continuing his idle activities and letting his mind wander over the day’s happenings, content to allow his prince to rest wherever was comfortable. He didn’t know when it happened, but the two of them slipped into a dreamless slumber soon after, one right after the other.  
\--  
The next morning was a mess of shouting and general noise that startled Changbin from his sleep, which then woke Felix. The both of them stared through tired eyes at the commotion at the foot of the bed, which included some of the other knights and a maid who looked slightly terrified out of her mind. One of the knights broke from the group, before sticking his head out of the door and yelling something unintelligible. Some of the other staff, including the head butler, made their way into the room, expressing their relief. 

Changbin looked at each face in turn, before asking, “What’s all the noise for?”, his voice low and scratchy from sleep. A familiar face popped out from behind one of the taller knights, one of the youngest boys that went by Jeongin, who had been training under Changbin for the past few months. He slowly raised his hand, before words came tumbling out of his mouth that Changbin didn’t understand. When he was asked to repeat it, with proper pronunciation this time, the boy said that he found Changbin’s bed empty and kind of, sort of, maybe told one of the other knights, and word quickly spread.

While they knew that Changbin served as Felix’s main protector, they never knew of his midnight excursions to the youngers room, since he always returned before daybreak. Felix let out a sleepy noise, snuggling back into the elder and mumbling for him to kick the rest out. “You heard the prince, leave so I can get him ready for the day.” Changbin reiterated, his voice stronger than the dirty blond’s, who had returned to his previous position, with his face against his chest, slowly drifting off to sleep as Changbin ran a hand over his back, smoothing down his wrinkled nightshirt in the process. The others slowly shuffled out of the room, the maid following through last and shutting the door quietly as she left, leaving the two in silence. Gently, Changbin shook his charge, who let out a sleepy groan at the motion, clinging tighter to his companion. That is, until Changbin leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, stopping the younger in his tracks and causing him to look up with wide eyes, their faces mere inches apart. The soft smile that graced Changbin’s lips at the sight was just enough to take Felix’s breath away as he watched Changbin watching him, eyes taking in every feature of his face with interest, even though they had seen each other thousands of times - but Changbin could never get enough, always finding something new to love about the younger. 

Suddenly, Felix looked away and buried his face in Changbin’s chest again and covering his exposed cheek with his hand, hiding the blush spreading on his cheeks from view. Changbin smoothed down the youngers ruffled hair with his hand, gently combing through it with his fingers and pulling at the knots that had formed in his sleep, listening to the boy hum in content and feeling him move closer. "You better not be going back to sleep.“ He murmured, gently tugging as his fingers caught on a particularly nasty knot, before managing to get it unknotted and continuing with his slow motions. Felix let out a deep sigh, before finally looking up at the elder, their faces once again inches apart and getting closer together as the two leaned in - that is, until Felix turned his head suddenly and sneezed loudly, the motion so sudden that Changbin jumped and consequently fell off the bed, dragging the covers onto the floor around him. They sat in a stunned silence for a moment, before Felix began to laugh at Changbin’s quiet groan of pain as he rubbed his back. The younger leaned over the edge of the bed and watched his guardian with laughter still dancing on his lips, smile bigger and brighter than the sun. He offered the other a hand to help him up but instead was thrown back when Changbin tackled him, the two scrambling to find footing and get an advantage over the other. Changbin finally succeeded, his training giving him a slight advantage as he pinned Felix’s hands above his head with one hand, the other holding himself up, while he moved to straddle the younger and keep him in place so he could get revenge. 

It started with fingers dancing over his sides before Felix broke out into a loud bout of laughter, his face slowly turning red as he gasped for air and writhed underneath the other boy, trying to free himself. The elder paid it no mind, finally releasing Felix’s hands in order to tickle him with both hands, and allowing the boy under him a chance to retaliate. All it took was a split second before the tables turned and Changbin found himself pinned underneath the smaller boy with the flush ever so prominent underneath his freckles, and for the first time, Changbin realized just how close they were. 

In his moment of weakness, Felix took total advantage and began to attack the older boy as he had been attacked just moments before, the both of them laughing messes before Felix dropped forward and let his head rest on Changbin’s chest, trying to catch his breath. Changbin threw his head back and let it rest on the plush bed as he tried to control the fast beating of his heart, reaching up to stroke Felix’s hair and check to make sure he was okay. The younger nodded in confirmation, picking his head up to look at his latest victim, the smile on his face fading into something softer, before morphing into something akin to worry, maybe fear. "Changbin?” He muttered, drawing himself up and looking down at the elder. 

Changbin hummed in response, settling his hands on Felix’s hips after sitting up as well. Their eyes met for a split second, before Felix turned away to look at some point just behind Changbin, "Can I…kiss you?“ Changbin stared at him in a shocked silence at the question. While he was prepared for most of the strange questions that he was asked on a daily basis, this was one that he wasn’t ready for, but nodded in response anyways, replying with a hushed "please” as the younger leaned in, their lips meeting for the first time. Felix’s hands came up to rest around Changbin’s shoulders as the two tentatively kissed, trying to learn each other in a way that they had never had a chance to before. It was nothing more than an innocent kiss, their lips moving slowly against each other’s, Felix’s fingers tangled in the hair at Changbin’s nape, while one of Changbin’s hands rested on the youngers hip, and the other came to rest on his cheek. They didn’t move far when they pulled away, choosing to stay close enough that they were still sharing the same air, before Changbin broke out into a smile and pecked Felix’s lips once more, stroking his cheek softly with his thumb as the two relaxed against one another, breathing evening out as they reveled in the tenderness of the moment. 

That is, until Changbin’s student, Jeongin, threw the door open with such force that it scared both of the boys on the bed, the younger clinging together to his guard. Jeongin’s mouth dropped at the sight, before he slowly backed out and closed the door behind him, leaving the others to dissolve into a fit of embarrassed giggles seconds later.


	2. for you (i'd do anything)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whether he was a peasant or not, Seungmin knew that to commit a crime would have consequences - he just didn’t expect that falling for a member of the royal family would be part of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a quick note!! i used -- to indicate that it's going from present to past, and ~~ indicates that it's still past, aka memories!

Morning and night seemed to come too early for Hyunjin. 

Nights called for negotiations and talks of peace and potential war declarations on other districts; mornings brought fake smiles at breakfast, and district visits to check on the harvests that would soon feed the whole castle, as well as the village. 

Mornings also brought the maid to his room, where he turned her away, saying that he was old enough to dress himself and that she needn't bother coming in to dress him every morning, bowing low as she left the room. He pulled a plain beige tunic from his wardrobe, along with a folded pair of emerald green stockings that surely wouldn't have been picked had it been the maid dressing him. Instead, she would have leaned towards the crimson tunic situated in the back of his wardrobe, and for good reason. It was covered in dainty embroirdery that itched like something awful when it was on, and Hyunjin wouldn't be able to change from it until after the district visit, which could possibly go into the late hours of the night. 

When he was dressed and his hair was moderately tamed by his hand, he made his way to the dining hall, where the king - or rather, his father - was waiting patiently with his meal set out before him. A quick apology was uttered before his father gestured for him to take a seat and begin eating, a small smile present on his lips during the entire exchange. The two ate in silece for a few moments, before a sudden commotion from the kitchen broke the silence, screams and shouts and the slamming of a door deafening in the silence, the noises so sudden that Hyunjin's father jumped, dropping his spoon onto his plate, the metal clanging loudly on the ceramic, quickly followed by the scraping of wood on brick as the two slid their chairs back and rushed through the kitchen into the courtyard to find out what was going on. 

What they saw nearly made Hyunjin sick, seeing two of the cooks stripping a page of his shirt, before one hoisted him up slightly and the other drew a rope around his wrists and tethered him to the whipping pole, showing nothing but his bare back to the people gathered. Hyunjin moved to the side, closer to the maid bearing the three-strand-whip, to get a glimpse of the boy tied up. As one of the cooks, a big man by the name of Youngbae, took the whip from the maid, Hyunjin saw who was strung up - and just a second too late, as the leather cracked down on his back and the crowd watched in horror as a set of three marks began to rise on his back and he writhed in pain against the pole, but he refused to make a noise. When Youngbae was drawing his arm back for another lash, Hyunjin's mind was sent into overdrive and he threw himself between them, throwing his arms out and taking the lash directly to his clothed chest, the force from the blow knocking the air out of his lungs and forcing him down to his knees as he tried to draw a breath. The maid rushed forward, kneeling down in front of him to check him over for injuries, before Youngbae ordered the two of them to move. One of the other pages came over to help Hyunjin out of the way, even though he tried to get back to his place in order to protect the bound up younger boy, who looked at him with pleading eyes. 

It wasn't until several lashings later that Hyunjin regained his breath and the other boy was nearly dropped in the dirt as they let him down, causing Hyunjin to rush forward once more to catch him, hauling him up as carefully as he could, hands resting under the others backside and carrying him like a child as he ordered the maid to bring him all the supplies he would need to tend to the younger.

A few moments later, Hyunjin had the boy laid out on his stomach on a spare bed, with bandages and the like spread out over the remaining surface area. Hyunjin let out a small sigh as he set to work on repairing his back, gently dabbing at the ruined skin with a rag soaked in wine, taking his time to clean it up as well as he could before gently rubbing a salve over the raw skin and bandaging him up. It wasn't until after he was done that he finally spoke, the disappointment slightly clear in his voice as he addressed the wounded man in front of him. "Seungmin, why do you keep doing this? You know they're going to suspect something sooner or later." He reprimanded him, tilting his head to look at the man - no, boy - in question, who turned his head to look at the elder.

"See, they may think that you have some sort of favoritism game going on, but they're never going to think that we're dating, are you kidding?" Seungmin cracked a grin, before adding, "besides, I'm sure your dad would support us." Hyunjin let out a tired laugh at the other's response, shaking his head.

Seungmin readjusted himself, letting out a pained hiss as he tried to get comfortable. "Even so, you know that most of the District would revolt if they found out that a member of the 'royal' family was dating a 'peasant'." Hyunjin replied, using air quotes to emphasize his point. Seungmin just rolled his eyes in response, muttering a small 'I don't care' as he turned his face away from the elder, closing his eyes and letting his breath even out as he fell asleep. Hyunjin just watched the peaceful boy, gently smoothing his bangs out of his face and wiping some of the blood spatter from the back of his neck away with a washrag, before getting up from the bed and leaving the room to find his father. 

\--  
The two had met in a similar fashion to the way that Hyunjin found Seungmin that day; Seungmin was a member of the lower class, his mother having died off from overwork and not being able to afford the medicine she needed to cure the ailment that wore away at her, leaving Seungmin alone to fend for himself. Hyunjin was out in the District to check over the crops, when the townspeople began to file into the center. With a ruffled brow and a confused noise directed at his father, the two made their way to the center to find out what was going on. A familiar sight greeted them, a barebacked body hung up on a pole, and a broad man bearing a whip ready to deliver punishment. While most of the crowd gathered behind the boy so all they saw was his back, Hyunjin and his father had come a way that allowed them to see the boy's face, pleading eyes meeting with Hyunjin's that were shrouded in darkness from his hood. A moment of eye contact was all it took before Hyunjin was rushing forward, straight into the path of the whip slicing through the air, the hit from the hard leather striking him in the thigh. He hunched over and placed his hands over the spot, before another strike came raining down on his back, the three-pronged whip spreading out and leaving his back raw and bruised, even under the layers that clothed his body. The world turned to black as he collapsed at the feeling of another strike against him. Somebody's voice boomed around the center, but the white noise that occupied Hyunjin's ears was too loud to hear over.  
~~  
Somebody untied the knots holding Seungmin up in the air, allowing him to drop to the floor and scramble over to the boy that took his punishment for him. He rolled the boy over gently, trying to support him so that there was no pressure on his back - where most of the hits had likely landed - as he pushed the dark hood that hid his face from view out of the way and took in the boy's face, very quickly recognizing him as the prince. An older man with the same face, but more gray hair made to take the elder boy away, but Seungmin held tight for reason's unknown. He begged the king to allow him to care for the prince, since he was now in his debt and that was the only way that he could think to repay him for the pain he would have to endure. Reluctantly, the king agreed, allowing Seungmin to scoop the taller boy into his arms and follow the king to where a carriage was waiting, a butler jumping down from where he was perched on a box, opening the door and allowing the two to get in. Seungmin settled the elder in his lap, fingers tracing absent shapes into the outside of his thigh as the carriage rattled and shook, taking care to support the others head so there wasn't a chance that it would hit the wall, and also making sure to avoid the small patch of blood that spread from where the whip had hit, Seungmin assumed. 

The king watched the two, noting the fact that Seungmin didn't seem to be present with him at the moment, judging by his fixation on a spot of the wall opposite to him and the slow, unconscious motions of his hands. He studied the young boy with interest, taking in the dirt smudged on his cheeks and the near black color of his hands. Seungmin came to when he asked what the boy had done to be whipped, which caused Seungmin to flush and mutter something under his breath that was nearly inaudible. 

When the king asked him to repeat it, Seungmin stated simply that he stole. The elder asked him to elaborate and waited patiently as the other gathered his thoughts. Neither of them noticed when Hyunjin stirred slightly, regaining consciousness but faking sleep for the sake of listening to their conversation, even though he was tempted to look at the person that held him close to their chest. "You see, Your Majesty, my mother passed away just a few months ago, and I've had to resort to stealing from other's garbage to sustain myself and my elder brother." Seungmin replied, not a hint of embarrassment present in either his voice or on his face, something that the king admired greatly. 

The two continued discussing what life would be like for Seungmin in the castle, although neither dared to discuss what would happen after Hyunjin was well.  
~~  
When they arrived, Seungmin was the first to get out of the carriage, waiting patiently to be shown where Hyunjin's room was as he shifted the boy in his arms. A well-dressed man descended the steps in front of him, making his way to the king and gesturing towards Seungmin as they talked, making it clear that he was asking who he was and what he was doing there. The king dismissed him with a wave of the hand, instead telling him rather loudly to show the boy where Hyunjin's room was. It took them no more than ten minutes to get to the room, where a wooden plaque with a metal face stamped with his name announced their arrival. Seungmin thanked the elder profusely, before stepping into the room and laying the other on the bed, kneeling next to him as he laid the boy on his stomach, using a pillow to prop up his hip and knee so his thigh wouldn't have any pressure on it. 

The butler entered the room a few moments later with all the supplies that Seungmin might need to tend to Hyunjin's wounds, leaving the room with a bow. 

With gentle hands, Seungmin lifted the prince's shirt up, letting his eyes wander over the damage that had been caused by the strikes meant for himself. With a shudder, he soaked the rag in wine and began to carefully clean the shallow marks, pausing every now and again when Hyunjin would shift or let out a small, pained noise. After slathering some ointment and covering the area with bandages, he flipped the elder over and contemplated his next course of action. After a moment, he decided that it would just be easier to roll down the other's stockings down to his knees, and pushing the leg of his underpants up to expose the bright red marks adorning his thigh. Seungmin repeated the process, making sure the wound was clean and properly covered before redressing the boy, and rolling him back over to his front and readjusting the pillows underneath Hyunjin to make sure he would be comfortable and it would maybe ease the pain. When he was done, he hauled himself up to the headboard and leaned his back on it, relaxing against the hardwood. It wasn't long before the dark tendrils of unconsciousness beckoned him, and he went with them willingly.  
\--  
Hyunjin awoke with a start, taking note of his surroundings, one of which included an unfamiliar figure that shared his bed. The memories came back in a rush, along with the stinging pain that occupied his thigh and part of his back. With a stifled groan, he pulled himself up to a sitting position, crossing his good leg underneath his bad and taking in the boy in front of him. It was calm and silent for a moment, before the other opened his mouth and spoke. "You know, it's a bit creepy to stare at people when they're sleeping." Hyunjin's eyes widened and he jumped slightly at the sudden speech, before the other peeked at him and cracked a grin, before cracking up, laughter racking his body in waves, the noise booming in the quiet room. 

When his laughing fit was over with, he sat up and looked at Hyunjin again, before getting off the bed and bowing in Hyunjin's direction, introducing himself as Seungmin. "Why are you here?" Hyunjin asked, curiosity getting the best of him. The younger smiled, before explaining what had happened, and how he ended up sitting on Hyunjin's bed. 

Since then, it was a daily routine of cleaning his wounds twice a day until they were fully healed, and even then, Seungmin didn't return to his home. When Hyunjin questioned it, Seungmin explained that he didn't have a home anymore. "This is as much of a home to me as my old home." He had replied, gesturing to Hyunjin's room, leading Hyunjin to look around and take note of all the traces of Seungmin that littered his room, the ones that had become commonplace in the month and a half that he had been staying there. A stack of papers filled with ink scribbles that amounted to words, the ones that he was being taught since he never learned how to read. The cot in the corner of the room, to the right of Hyunjin's own bed, and even Seungmin's worn leather shoes thrown next to the cot. Hyunjin had smiled at him then, replying that it would be his home for as long as he wanted it to be. Something sparked in Seungmin's eyes, before he grinned back at Hyunjin, and promptly threw himself into the elder's arms, thanking him profusely. 

When he pulled away, he took notice of the small space between the two of them, eyes flickering up to meet Hyunjin's, before he tried to scramble back. However, he couldn't pull back more than two inches due to Hyunjin's grip around his back, his eyes widening in surprise at the others firmness. It seemed as though the two had an 'aha!' moment, realizing that this was...perfectly okay, and the two were perfectly content to stay exactly where they were. Their eye contact broke when Seungmin glanced down quickly at Hyunjin's lips, darting back up when he realized what he was doing. However, it wasn't quick enough to escape Hyunjin, and he mentally debated with himself for a moment before leaning forward, catching Seungmin's lips with his own. The younger was stunned, unable to move and the elder took that as a rejection, pulling back quickly and apologizing as he released Seungmin from his grip. However, instead of throwing himself to the other side of the bed, Seungmin gently laid his hands on Hyunjin's cheeks and pulled him closer, their lips meeting once again in a soft kiss that turned both of them into mush. Hyunjin's hands settled on the younger's hips, before moving back to draw him ever closer. His fingers were quick to settle on a bare patch of skin, drawing absent circles as he settled into a quiet bliss. 

It wasn't until another few kisses that they pulled away, breathing fast and hearts beating faster, resting their foreheads together and just enjoying the other's presence. They started out as a prince and his servent, morphing into friends and then into friends that shared feelings. Anything more than that, Hyunjin was unsure of, but just wanted to enjoy his time with Seungmin before anything changed.  
\--  
Seungmin awoke with a start, his dream of his and Hyunjin's first meeting springing vividly to his mind in the form of a dream. The source of his panic was the man standing in the door, who accidentally let the door slam and was staring at the younger with panicked eyes. After a moment, Seungmin gestured for the other to join him, patting the bed next to him and whining, wanting to know where the other had gone. 

"I told my father." He replied simply, making his way to the other side of the bed, settling cross-legged next to Seungmin, who made a questioning noise. "He told me to give you this, and he would settle the rest." A silver band was pulled from a small pouch that was clutched in his hand, the metal glinting in the soft daylight that streamed in through the window. The elder slid the ring onto the right finger, before showing the younger his matching ring, before kissing his forehead. "Now the District can't complain that I'm dating a 'peasant', you'll be royalty soon enough." The promise was almost as soft as the kiss they shared, before settling down comfortably together on the bed, Seungmin careful not to disturb the healing skin on his back as he cuddled up to his prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this...literally took forever because of work OTL but!! here it is!! a chapter just about our sunshine that can't seem to stay out of trouble, and his boyfriend that wishes he could stay out of trouble dflkgh  
> i hope everyone likes it!!


	3. stay by my side (even in the darkness)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan was the first mostly blind prince to take over a District, and Woojin was the first person that he ever fell for, the poor villager that made some of the best bread and biscuits he'd ever tasted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a quick note!! once again, i used -- to indicate that it's going from present to past, and ~~ indicates that it's still past, aka memories!

Under the soft light of the moon, with fireflies flitting to and fro around their heads, they kissed. With hands on one another's skin, burning and searing unseen marks into the others back and hips, before the heat was quenched by a hand dragged up and up and up - finally finding it's home on the elder's nape, caressing his cheek and pulling the two ever closer, if it was even possible in their tangled mess of limbs. 

When the two broke apart, it was Chan gasping for air that was to blame. Neither of the two had any intention of moving, instead they stayed close to one another, breathing the same breath for a moment. Woojin's eyes cracked open as he looked at the man before him - the one who bore a silver ring on his hand that matched the one adorning Woojin's own. A soft smile blessed his lips, one that his lover would more than likely never be able to witness fully for himself. The reason for Woojin's smile was the flush hanging prominently on Chan's face, swollen lips turned red like strawberries, and the way that they parted with heavy breaths. Knowing that Woojin, and Woojin alone, was the only one that was allowed to see Chan the way that he was at that moment made a fire burst to life in his chest. 

With hands gently resting on Chan's hips, he pulled the boy into his lap before lying back on the grass and dragging Chan with him. The two laid in silence, Woojin staring up at the moon and letting his hands run lazily up and down Chan's back, causing the younger to jolt slightly every once in a while as Woojin's touches tickled his lower back. 

Woojin could feel the vibrations when Chan hummed in content, the younger rising and falling with Woojin's slow breaths. They stayed like that, just taking in the other's presence until the sun began to trade places with the moon, and Woojin woke the other from his light slumber to guide him back to his room. Chan let out an exasperated sigh (mostly faked) at the thought of getting up and out of his lover's arms, before getting up and standing just off to the side and waiting for his consort. It was only a brief moment before Woojin was on his feet as well, Chan's hand automatically settling on his bicep and allowing the elder to lead him into the castle and up the stairs, listening to his small murmurs of guidance - even though Chan had lived in the castle for his whole life, and knew exactly where every step was. However, Chan couldn't stop the smile that graced his lips at the other's care, briefly reminiscing their first meeting.   
\--  
It had been a sunny day, when they first met. The sun burned low in the sky as night descended on the village, although Chan could only see speckles of the darkness settling on the streets. However, he caught all the sounds around him - the crunch of his boots on the gravel, and the sounds of farm animals that were housed in pens around him and the slamming of a door and a man yelling at his wife and - the world seemed to go quiet as a pair of hands slipped over his ears and two more grabbed at his elbows and the world seemed to stop in that moment as fear froze in his veins, the yelp of terror forced back down his throat when yet another hand was slammed over his mouth. Eyes wide and unseeing, he was dragged across the gravel to nobody knows where, and thrown to the ground. He could hear the perpetrators more than he could see him, although his spotty vision was beginning to clear - at least, clear as much as it could. 

There was scuffling around him, before a force knocked the air from his lungs - a kick, he assumed. Various slurs were thrown at him, words that were meant to hurt more than the physical pain being inflicted on him. That is, before a loud voice shouted something that Chan couldn't hear over the sound of roaring pain in his ears, the other's voice slurred before the world went silent again and Chan curled in on himself. Just moments after, there were gentle hands resting on his shoulder, a quiet voice murmuring reassurances filling his ears and overcoming the noise. After Chan regained his breath, he rolled over to his back and reached out a hand to find his savior - hand making contact with warm skin, the heat disappearing quickly as the other presumably jerked away. After a few beats, the heat returned and allowed Chan to explore his face with his hand, fingers gently dusting over his facial features in an attempt to piece together an image in his head. "You know, when I heard that the prince was here, I didn't expect that he would be touching my face." The other laughed slightly, and Chan could feel rather than see the way that his lips tipped up in the corners. 

Chan snorted, before replying, "Oh, you mean the prince that can't see his attackers and therefore can't fight back?" His tone spiked with venom as he spat out the words. "The useless one that can't defend himself, the weakling?" The other hushed him, before asking if it was okay to help him up. Chan nodded in reply, allowing the other to pull him to his feet, before asking for the boy's name as he dusted off the back of his cloak, the hood being pulled back over his head in an instant. The boy replied with Woojin, and Chan heard the smile in his voice as he proudly announced that he was named after his father, a great knight who was serving King Mark, of the 3rd District. Chan gaped in surprise, wondering out loud why his father had left him in the 6th District while he went to the 3rd. He was shaken abruptly from his thoughts by the fingers resting on his wrist, guiding his hand to wrap around Woojin's bicep and letting the other lead him from where they were. They walked in silence for a few moments before a familiar voice called out to them - Chan's mother, frantically calling his name from a distance in front of them. He heard her fast footsteps, before his hand was being removed from Woojin's arm, and replaced on his mother's. The two elders had a hushed conversation, before Chan's mother guided him away and to the waiting carriage.   
~~  
It wasn't long before the urge to see Woojin struck, on the exact same day that Chan's mother announced their next visit to the village. Although he didn't know why, Chan craved the feeling of gentle hands and a quiet voice, both of which were uncommon in the castle - nearly all the staff was rough-handed, and their voices left much to be desired, although Chan would never admit that to any of them. 

No more than a few hours after his mother's sudden announcement, he was wandering through the city square, trying to make sense of his surroundings even with the black patches covering most of his vision. Once again, his cloak had the hood pulled up over his head, shrouding his face in darkness. He listened idly to the chatter that surrounded him, many more people out now than had been out during the previous incident. It made Chan feel...safer, even though he knew none of them would bear witness and actually help him if something happened once again. 

After idly wandering into an apothecary that smelled so strongly of herbs that it burned his eyes, he could once again be found walking down the cobblestone road, the tips of his boots bumping the edges of the stones. Before long, a familiar voice called his name and he turned to face the person, raising a hand and running it over the plains of Woojin's face once more, a smile making itself present on his face and soon spreading to Woojin, who smiled brightly in return. The two continued to wander, Chan's hand holding tightly to Woojin's bicep as the elder described the things from the windows to Chan, hands forming large gestures and at one point, even taking Chan's hand to feel the texture of something that was being displayed outside of a shop. It was all great fun, and Chan found himself wishing that Woojin would continue talking in the comfortable silences that filled the air between the two as they walked back to the center, where Woojin passed Chan back to his mother. Before Woojin could leave, Chan made a blind grab for Woojin's sleeve, catching him just as he was turning. "We'll see each other again, won't we?" He asked quietly, voice bordering on pleading. Woojin replied with an 'of course', before they parted ways once more.   
~~  
The third, and final, time that Chan met Woojin on the streets was a month later - and it was by pure accident, mostly due to Chan's rapidly worsening sight. The elder rammed into him in his rush, and sent the younger to the ground. Hurried apologies were passed, before Woojin asked nervously if he'd like to return home with him, to get some of the sweets that his mother was selling at their small bakery. Chan nodded enthusiastically, and they naturally fell into position - Woojin guiding Chan gently through the streets, ensuring that he wouldn't trip over a stray rock that was sticking too far up. They made it safely to the bakery, where Chan promptly - and quite un-princely - stuffed various sweets in his mouth, moaning his approval. Not even a moment later, he suggested that the two move into the castle to work in the kitchen. The two were stunned into silence, leaving the small shop quiet. That is, until the bell rang and announced a visitor. The three of them all turned to look at the door, although Chan only caught a flash of dark hair and a slender face before the person moved into his blind spot. 

"Thank you for caring for my son." It wasn't until the person spoke that he realized it was his mother, who he assumed was talking to either Woojin or his mother. After a brief moment, she joined him and began to eat some of the freshly baked goods, nodding her approval when Chan asked how it was. When she was done and ready to leave, he sprung the idea of the mother-son duo leaving with them, and moving into the castle. 

Truth be told, the food was good, but what Chan craved most was Woojin's presence in the castle, not his food. Although he wasn't certain that he knew when they started, he could feel the fast beat of his heart whenever Woojin was near, the smile that he couldn't stop when Woojin laughed, or the fluttering in his chest that Woojin unknowingly caused. He just knew that Woojin was somebody he wanted around for a long time, whether it was as his friend or his partner. With those thoughts swirling around his mind, he listened to Woojin explaining something, could feel the whoosh of air when he made a gesture, and could feel his heart leap whenever his touch brushed Chan.   
\--  
Chan was brought back to the present, standing at the top of the staircase by Woojin calling his name and asking what he was thinking about. Chan smiled, turning towards the sound of his voice and replying that he was remembering how he fell for Woojin. He knew that Woojin was flustered just by the tone in which he answered him, before the elder took his hand and laced their fingers together, his skin burning hot against Chan's. Without even thinking about it, Chan brought their joined hands to his face and kissed the back of Woojin's hand, before leading the elder to their shared bedroom, and letting go of his hand to feel around for the bed and throwing himself down promptly. 

It wasn't even a heartbeat later that Woojin joined him, before throwing the blanket over the two of them and curling up next to Chan. Quiet settled over them once more as Woojin threw a leg over Chan's lap, and settled his head on the other's chest, letting his lover run a hand through his unruly hair. Everything felt so soft and domestic, and Woojin couldn't stop the warmth flooding his chest at the realization that this was his prince, his king, his husband that was stroking his hair and letting him snuggle closer. 

The two went to sleep like that, Chan being lulled into slumber by Woojin's even breaths against his chest. Although he knew that he wouldn't wake up and see Woojin, he knew that he would wake up and feel Woojin lying next to him, and that was enough. Even though his sight had diminished since they met, he knew that Woojin was still as beautiful as the first day they met. Even though Chan was known to most as the helpless, blind prince, Woojin knew him as the only king that he would ever love, and that was enough for the both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is really late dflgklh i meant to proofread and post it last night, but i've been watching oitnb lately and!! i really didn't wanna do any editing so it's getting uploaded now dfgklh
> 
> i really hope y'all enjoyed it! 
> 
> also, if it's not clear, chan was born with an eye condition that made his vision worsen as he got older, so by the time that him and woojin are married and happily living together, he's completely blind. please keep in mind that i, myself, am not blind and i have done a bit of research but i'm sure that i probably didn't portray anything accurately so!! if anyone sees anything that would be considered untrue/offensive, please lmk and i will fix it, if possible!


	4. with you (i'm safe)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please see the v e r y important note at the end!!

Han Jisung was known by many different names, by many different people - Han to any sort of authority that was tied to his father, Jisung to the other villagers, Squirrel to his baby sister (although he never quite figured out where she got it from), and Brother Han, son of Father Han, to the members of the church. 

Aside from his normal church and home duties, Jisung liked to people watch, eying others with a quiet interest as he strolled through town, taking in the dull colors of the clothing that they could barely afford - much like the clothing that adorned his body as well. The occasional colorful pastry would catch his eye, drawing his attention away from the middle-aged woman that he was studying, and eliciting a growl from his stomach that would soon lead him home, where his mother was waiting with a meal prepared for their small family. 

For the most part, there was nothing different about his walk home. Same old cobblestone streets lined with the same old people that he often saw in church. A few called his name, waving as he passed - a gesture that he returned with a small smile. As he made his way over the small bridge just a yard from his home, he happened to peek down into the ditch that was the reason for the bridge - a place that was normally filled with water in the rainy months but was currently dry. Jisung squinted to make out what the blob of black was, since the bottom of the ditch wasn't exactly close and Jisung didn't exactly have the best vision. The shape moved slightly, and Jisung followed it to make out a once-bright tunic covered in mud, and suddenly realized that the shape was, in fact, a real, live person. There was a hurry in his pace that was not previously there as he climbed down in the ditch, not caring that the knees of his tunic were covered in dirt when he misstepped and fell to his knees, eyes set on the figure in front of him. The person in question - a man, by the looks of it - groaned slightly and made to get up. Jisung called to them to not move, that he would help. The person's head shot up, and Jisung confirmed that this was indeed a man, who was indeed one of the most attractive people that Jisung had seen in their small village, even with the dirt coating his face and body. 

The man said something, words slurred together to make a frankenword that Jisung was unable to comprehend. As he stepped closer, the other warned him to stay back, his words suddenly as sharp as his glare as he got to his feet, drawing himself up to a full height that was not much more than Jisung's own. Jisung watched as the other stood straight up for a moment, then wavered slightly, before his knees gave out and he landed with a sharp thud. Jisung rushed forward, stopping in his tracks when he noticed that the other had wrapped his arms around himself and was using them seemingly as a shield, a wall built between himself and Jisung. Instead of going any closer, Jisung dropped into a squat and tried to make himself appear less threatening to the other boy. "I'm not here to hurt you, or whatever you think." He murmured, dropping all formalities in an attempt to bridge the gap between them. The other stilled, before he picked up his head and met Jisung's eyes. After a few silent moments, the other began to take down his defenses and allowed Jisung to wander ever closer, talking all the while. Jisung learned that the other's name was Minho, and that he was no more than a year and a half older than him. That was all Jisung could get out of the other, but he didn't push it any further, instead asking if Minho would like to join him and his family for lunch. 

While they weren't exactly well off, Jisung knew that any food they had was more than what Minho had been eating for at least a good week. Side by side, they clambered out of the ditch and walked the last yard to Jisung's small abode, where his mother was waiting anxiously in the doorway. When she caught sight of the black haired boy, she started to jog towards them, holding her skirt just above her ankles so that it wouldn't drag on the grass. However, when she saw who was walking beside her beloved son, she felt a strange mixture of fear and hope filling her chest. Jisung didn't know what was going on in his mother's head, and she thanked the heavens above for that, since her mind immediately wandered over different possibilities that could come out of this encounter. Jisung simply shot her a look that pleaded for her to not ask questions, begging silently for them to just sit down and enjoy lunch. 

It was a quiet meal for all of a few minutes - both of Jisung's parents had sent warning looks to his little sister, Jinae, who was staring at the stranger with wide eyes. Then, as soon as Minho was scraping his plate clean, Jisung's mother rose and served him another helping. After that, it was the silent bombardment of questions towards Jisung himself when Minho left to wash his hands and his face with the well water from outside. He simply shook them off, before joining Minho at the well, splashing cold water on his face and wiping it away with his sleeve. They stood side by side for a moment, silence stretching out into what felt like hours between the two of them before Minho finally spoke up. "I should probably go. I don't want to be a burden." Jisung looked at the other, stunned, before stuttering out that he didn't have to do that. While the two stared at each other in shock, the door that they had come out of creaked open and Jisung's mother peered out. 

"There's a cot laid out for your friend, since we have to sleep soon and wake early for the harvest." She told the two quietly, before disappearing back into the small cottage and shutting the door behind her. With a pointed look at Minho, Jisung followed her lead and decided to retreat to his room, where a cot was indeed made up with a small blanket for Minho. The latter appeared in the doorway behind Jisung, brushing past him to look around the small room. He hummed in approval as he threw himself down on the cot, sighing in content as his face hit the soft pillow and he snuggled into it mindlessly. With a soft smile, Jisung watched his new charge taking in his surroundings until they lulled him into a peaceful slumber. Not even a moment after he fell asleep, Jisung clambered into his own bed and joined him in dreamland. 

It felt like a few moments later that he jolted awake, and he couldn't find the source of his sudden alertness - until a whimper broke through the night, followed by a string of pleas to no one. The voice, although it came from Minho's mouth, had none of the confidence that it held earlier. He begged for someone - who? Jisung would never find out - to stop hitting him, to please stop - and it was then that Jisung sprung from his bed and kneeled next to the elder, shaking his shoulder gently to ease him from his nightmare, although the boy writhed and twisted under his grip, pleading to be let go. It took a moment to rouse him from his sleep, and when he came to, his eyes were red and he found it hard to focus on the black haired boy kneeling next to him. 

For a second, all Minho saw was his black-haired master, a boy by the name of Chanhee, who ruled over the 4th District. After soothing words from Jisung, he was finally able to focus and make out the blurred figure in front of him. Upon realizing that he was safe, he let out a broken sob and threw himself in the other's arms, letting himself be pulled into an embrace and openly crying into the younger's shoulder, wetting his nightgown - but Jisung couldn't find it in himself to care as he settled the other more comfortably in his lap, and gently rocked the both of them until the boy fell asleep in his grip. Then, with all the care in the world, he stood up and laid the boy down in the cot, pressed up against the wall so that he could fit with him. They slept like that, Minho wrapped in the embrace of his newfound safety. 

This continued on, days turning into weeks and weeks turning into months. Jisung began to learn more and more about Minho during his night rambling, although some of it was just Minho begging and pleading for whoever plagued his dreams to let him go. Some nights, when Jisung would ask questions to the night, Minho would answer as though he was conscious. However, his eyes never opened and his breath never sped up, nor did it slow down. Slowly, Jisung started to put together that Minho used to be the head knight in King Chanhee's court, but to put it nicely, he was not treated well. Whips and chains were his best friends it seemed, but not in the way that some would think. After realizing this, Jisung felt a hot anger bubbling up in the pit of his stomach, and he swore that if he ever met King Chanhee on the street - well, let's just say that he would not be going home looking the same as he did coming out. Jisung decided to keep his midnight discoveries to himself, and told himself that if Minho ever wanted to tell him, then he would let him. Until then, it wasn't his place. 

However, when the news came out that the royalty of District 2 were looking for new servants, both Minho and Jisung had to jump for the opportunity. Slowly but surely, with both Minho and Jisung growing, money was beginning to get tight in their small house. A short week later, the two of them joined the small crowd standing just outside the gate that led to the castle. Jisung could feel Minho practically vibrating next to him, and reached down to grab the other's hand, squeezing tightly and trying to reassure the boy next to him that everything would be perfectly fine. King Jinyoung and his husband, King Mark, were known to be two of the kindest kings that had ever ruled over the District, and were known as the reason why District 2 flourished as it did, so Jisung was not worried about the outcome. 

After filing in and being shown around the castle - even bumping into the kings in their dining room by accident - the group were all assigned their roles. Minho and Jisung were assigned to clean the rooms on the first floor, which meant that they would also bunk together. That was another thing that the District 2 leaders were known for - not only was the castle huge, they had a whole wing of it for the servants, and the servants were allowed to leave their jobs at any time, but they were not allowed to come back. It was said that the servants would bunk two to a room, although with the addition of the twins Hyunok and Hyunshik, the staff had almost doubled. One of the rooms that Minho and Jisung took care of was the nursery, where they met the aforementioned twins, two bright bundles of joy that smiled when their nurses turned to greet the boys, who turned into cooing messes over the toddlers. It wasn't long before they were abandoning their duties to settle down in the rocking chairs to give the nurses a chance to grab a quick meal. That was how the kings found them a little over an hour later, rocking side by side with the precious royal babies in their arms. Minho was in charge of Hyunshik, a frail boy that seemed to radiate happiness and love as he peered up at his temporary caretaker. Meanwhile, Jisung was bouncing Hyunok on his knees, fingers situated just underneath her armpits to allow her to stand. He was cooing softly to the girl, who in return, smiled and babbled at him. 

The kings made themselves known, each one retrieving a child from the boys and letting them return to their duties, although the nurses kept it so clean that they left after a few minutes, bowing to the kings as they stepped out of the room. Minho collapsed with a sigh in the first secluded corner they found, and Jisung kneeled down next to him and questioned the boy, worry seeping into his words. Gently, he checked the other for a fever - none was to be found, but Minho leaned into his touch, and allowed Jisung to pull him forward and into the other's arms. 

It was there, in that dark corner that Minho spilled his story, silent tears streaming down his face as he recounted the abuse and torture that he had endured at the hand of King Chanhee. He whimpered as he told the stories of countless whippings and days spent chained up for something as simple as grabbing the wrong tea from the cupboard, or moving a trinket from the nightstand to the side table. He told Jisung that this was the first place to actually feel like a home, with rulers that weren't out to hurt him over the little things. This was the first place where he felt safe, and he admitted that Jisung was the biggest part of it, causing the boy to stop in his tracks and his hand to still on Minho's back. They pulled away almost in sync, eyes meeting and a warm flush flooding Jisung's cheeks as he struggled to find the words to express exactly what he was feeling. 

Time seemed to still as they gravitated towards one another, first embracing and then it turned into kissing and then Minho tried to stand up, dragging Jisung with him, who was promptly pressed into the wall as Minho pressed a line of kisses down his throat and back up to his lips. That was how a squire from another district found them, leading the head knight and the king (who were coincidentally holding hands) down the hallway. All it took was a loud exclamation of "not again!" to break the two apart, chests heaving and lips swollen to see King Felix, a man with soft eyes and a bright smile, as well as Changbin, his knight, staring at the two with wide eyes. Both of them bowed in apology, before King Felix congratulated them on finding one another. 

Inside, Jisung was doing the same, congratulating himself on finding Minho, and allowing himself to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so first of all: this is hella late i know!! i got d r o w n e d with work and this is the first free time that i've had in what, 3 days?? so yeah, i hope this is okay
> 
> second: since gilded ages is coming to an end, i'm trying to figure out what i wanna write next, so maybe y'all would wanna decide?? i'm thinking about doing either a:  
> nct college au  
> neo (vixx) hanahaki au  
> skz harry potter au  
> bts truth or dare au  
> exo greek love au  
> monsta x 'to all the boys i've loved before' au  
> nct supernatural au (not the show!! vampire mark and werewolf hyuck, etc)  
> or!! a monsta x coffee shop au
> 
> please feel free to leave a comment and lmk what you wanna see!! i'll be accepting comments until the last part goes up, which will be...soon. also, maybe follow my writing tumblr (same as here) for updates and maybe some drabble games in the near future? 
> 
> and in case anyone is wondering, no, innie won't be alone in the end dflglh y'all will just have to wait and see who he ends up with! (hint: he's not from skz) and if you guess and end up right, i'll dedicate the last chapter to you :))


	5. i feel like royalty (next to you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jeongin knew that love was something great, something that wasn’t to be messed with. what he didn’t know, was that love could make a man.

Jeongin filled the position on the king’s team that was known to most as the ‘squire’ - or, on other words, the errand boy. While he was higher on the food chain than, say, the maids or the pages, he was nowhere near the level of his mentor, Changbin, who was the head knight in charge of Prince Felix, as well as the groom-to-be of the aforementioned prince. 

Their engagement came as somewhat of a surprise to the people of the castle, although it was not to be expected. Since Changbin was assigned to his position as the head knight, he was to be Prince Felix’s shadow, meaning that they were to be together nearly every waking moment. This caused the two to form a close bond, and it was obvious that they were very good friends, but no one expected it to turn romantic, and certainly didn’t expect to find Changbin holding the younger close in the prince’s bed, finding solace in the embrace of the prince - or maybe, the prince found peace and safety in the arms of his guard. Either way, the two seemed to come to terms with the fact that their relationship seemed to be shifting into slightly dangerous waters, and it was time to either sink or swim. 

So they swam, announcing that Felix was courting the elder, even though it was meant to be the other way around, and a handful of months later, they were set to be married. Preparations were made, and invitations were sent out to the leaders of the other districts - although Changbin was reluctant to send on to King Chanhee from District 4. Jeongin knew this because he was one of the pairs of hands that was employed to make invitations, carefully sketching out names and lines up lines of text that explained the reason for the celebration. He was also in charge of packaging up the invitations and sending them with the pages to the other districts. However, he specifically took the one meant for the leaders of District 9, Kings Dowoon and Wonpil. After the invitations and directions were given to the other 7 pages, he saddled and mounted his own horse, a beautiful dappled gray mare named Moonshine that stood nearly as high as Jeongin himself did. 

He rode through the different towns for several days, stopping at night and staying in inns wherever he could. When he finally came to a stop in front of the gate that kept the villagers out of the center of District 9, he announced himself to the guards, telling them that he had special news for the kings, from the prince of District 7. Not even a few moments later, he was making his way to the front door, where a butler and a page met him, the page holding onto the reins and leading the mare to the stable, but not before Jeongin ran a hand across the white patch that adorned her back end. 

A few moments later, he was standing in front of the door that led into the parlor, where the kings were waiting for him. After grounding himself with a deep breath, he pushed open the door and bowed deeply towards the two elders. Both stood up as well, bowing back before welcoming him with warm smiles. Standing just behind the chairs that they were seated on was Bang Yedam, as well as the head knight, Im Jaebum. Jeongin smiled brightly at the younger, before turning his focus towards the kings. He answered their questions on the wellbeing of their district, and in return, listened to them talk about their home. Every so often, he would make eye contact with Yedam, the two sharing a small smile before going back to their official duties. Finally, with a soft smile, Jeongin shared the news with the kings of the upcoming marriage, handing over the invitation. "Of course, Prince Felix would also like to extend the invitation to the head knight and squire, as this may be considered a learning experience for both.“ He informed them happily. The two nodded, thanking him for bringing them this news. 

After more discussions of the date and proper attire to be worn, and after the kings wishing him well on his trip home and to send their congratulations to the couple, he was walking side by side with Yedam, who was ordered to take him back to the front door. The two had barely left the room before their hands found one another, fingers intertwining. Neither knew that Dowoon and Wonpil were hanging out of the door, watching the young boys walk away with starry eyes. Jaebum simply sighed behind them, pulling the two back and informing them sternly that they were like that once as well. Dowoon and Wonpil shared a look, chiming back with, "That’s why we were watching them! They remind us of…us!”. Although Jaebum rolled his eyes, he smiled at the two young lovers. 

It wasn’t long before Yedam was pulling Jeongin into a small closet, shutting the door behind the two of them and simply pulling Jeongin into his embrace. They stayed like that for several minutes, simply breathing in the scent of one another and trying to burn it into their memory, never knowing when they were going to see one another again. It wasn’t long before they exchanged a soft kiss, and a promise of a home together in one of the districts. Not much longer after that, Jeongin was mounting Moonshine, and waving goodbye to the others as he trotted away, beginning the ride back to District 7.  
\--  
Preparations for the wedding were in full swing, after the pages had cleaned up the dining hall and made it up for the pre-wedding gathering. Jeongin was the one in charge of all the pages, watching over them carefully as they hustled to and fro to get the space decorated, marking off space where the band was to be, and filling the rest of the space just as the to-be-weds had ordered. With just a few hours left until the guests were to arrive, the pages were just putting on the finishing touches to the space when the band arrived, setting up in their small corner and waiting for the cue from Jeongin to begin. After peeking out the window and seeing the first carriage pull up, the young boy signaled for the pages to clear out of the room and for the band to begin. The first group to show up was the leaders of District 9, Kings Dowoon and Wonpil, who wore matching red tunics decorated with ornate gold thread and black trousers. They were followed by Jaebum, and Yedam behind him, who beamed when he saw Jeongin. Just as their carriage was pulling out, yet another one was pulling up, and it was an endless cycle. Wonpil and Dowoon were followed by the queens from District 1, Jeongyeon and Nayeon, wearing matching gowns in opposite colors - Jeongyeon’s being white and maroon, while Nayeon’s was black and a sky blue. They were followed by the head knight and a squire that Jeongin didn’t know the name of. 

Jeongin watched other royal couples file in, like Kings Mark and Jinyoung from District 2, as well as Prince Hyunjin and his fiance Seungmin from District 5. With each couple came another head knight and a squire, the knights going to convene in one corner and the squires in another. Jeongin greeted old friends and made new ones, all the while holding Yedam’s hand in his. Jeongyeon and Nayeon swept past the group of young boys, their hands linked in between them and bright smiles held on their painted lips as the two made their way over to Mark and Jinyoung. They cooed over the royal children, who Jeongin noticed were being held by two servants. The slightly taller of the two was holding Hyunshik, who had grown bigger and stronger than the last time Jeongin saw him, just six months before at Kings Woojin and Chan’s wedding ceremony. The smaller boy had Hyunok settled on his hip, the beautiful girl smiled at the queens and held her small hands out to them, letting Jeongyeon pick her up and sway gently as she giggled. 

When the royalty cleared out of the room for the ceremony, only a handful of the knights went with them, leaving the rest to mill with the squires. Even when the other young boys went to talk to their mentors, Jeongin and Yedam stayed in their little corner, comfortable in their silence as they watched the others. 

After a few hours, the royal guests filed back in, and at the end of the line were the new kings, Felix and Changbin, both adorned in white tunics and trousers, each one detailed with gold thread and buttons. The two were beaming from ear to ear, and they stayed that way, through the rest of the celebration. After their first dance, the rest of the guests were invited up and Jeongin couldn’t stop himself from pulling Yedam with him, claiming that this may be the last time they could dance together. The two twirled and swayed to the beat, sharing breaths and enjoying their time together, feeling alone in their own bubble even though there were other couples all around them. Over the top of Yedam’s head, Jeongin watched Jaebum dip one of the older squires that came with Kings Jaehyung and Younghyun, a brunet by the name of Youngjae. Just behind him, he watched Jeongyeon and Nayeon twirling one another around and laughing if they caught the others gown under their foot by accident. To the right of them were Mark and Jinyoung, each holding onto one of the children and dancing with them, while the servants stood back and watched, swaying in time with the music, and the shorter leaning on the other. 

Looking back at his partner, Jeongin couldn’t help but be swept with a feeling of fondness and love for the boy in front of him, who grinned back before burying his face in Jeongin’s chest.  
\--  
After a few hours, the guests began to drizzle out, leaving behind gifts for the newlyweds. Mark and Jinyoung gifted them with a portrait of the two, although it wasn’t like anything that Jeongin or Yedam had ever seen before. It was easy to tell that it was of Felix and Changbin, although it looked as though the artist had pulled the galaxy from the sky and poured it into their outlines. Jeongin watched as Felix began to cry, Changbin pulling the younger into his arms and thanking Jinyoung and Mark profusely. 

However, even as Wonpil and Dowoon left with Jaebum, Yedam stayed by Jeongin’s side. When he questioned the shorter boy about it, Yedam replied that King Dowoon had come to visit him the night prior to the wedding, and told him that he, Dowoon, had worked out a deal with Felix that allowed Yedam to move into the castle with Jeongin, as long as he did his job and did it well. 

It took everything in Jeongin to not scream out of delight, knowing that the love he had was no longer over such a long distance, but instead, would likely be sleeping next to him that night.  
\--  
And he was right, as Yedam pulled the elder closer later that night as they lied in bed and intertwined their fingers while throwing one of his legs over Jeongin’s hip, sighing contently as he drifted off to sleep. And Jeongin thought that this must be true happiness, drifting off with the person he loved in his arms. He thought that this must be what it felt like to be royalty, because although he was nothing of the sort, he felt like the king of the world with Yedam so close to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so!! this is the end of gilded ages, and i just...really wanna thank everyone who's read, left a comment or kudos or whatever, bc y'all are the reason that i kept going with this (also @ hanjisungwoo bc you're amazing and ily and all your comments <3333)
> 
> i'm gonna take a few days to decide which au i'm doing next, and then a week or so after that to write a few chapters and start posting! 
> 
> also bc i'm a big dumb, i meant to dedicate a chapter to sibs288 bc you guessed right on who jeongin ends up with, but?? i don't know how ao3 works and added you as a co-creator instead dfgklh but uhhh yeah, you were right! so congrats on that lmao

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to yell at me on [tumblr](https://hellevator-mp3.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/wave_mp3)!


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